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Notice of Request To Revise an Approved Information Collection: Import Inspection Application and Application for the Return of Exported Products to the United States

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Start PreambleStart Printed Page 44598

AGENCY:

Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to revise the approved information collection regarding import inspection applications. The approval for this information collection will expire on October 31, 2020. FSIS is updating this collection, based on new information about burden, and adding a new application for the return of exported products to the United States. The Agency has increased the burden estimate by 21,932 hours due to updated information and the addition of this form.

DATES:

Submit comments on or before October 25, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this Federal Register notice. Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website provides commenters the ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on the web page or to attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for submitting comments.

Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2019-0011. Comments received in response to this docket will be made available for public inspection and posted without change, including any personal information, to http://www.regulations.gov.

FSIS is requesting a revision to the approved information collection regarding import inspection applications. The approval for this information collection will expire on October 31, 2020. FSIS is updating this collection, based on new information about burden, and adding an application for the return of exported products to the United States. The Agency has increased the burden estimate by 21,932 hours due to updated information and the addition of this form.

For each consignment of product exported to the United States, FSIS requires the government of the exporting country to provide a Foreign Inspection Certificate. On the Foreign Inspection Certificate, FSIS requires the date; the foreign country of export and the producing foreign establishment number; the species used to produce the product; the source country and foreign establishment number for amenable source materials, if they originate from a country other than the exporting country; the product's description, including the process category, the product category, and the product group; the name and address of the consignor or exporter; the name and address of the consignee or importer; the number of units and the shipping or identification marks on the units; the net weight of each lot and; any additional information the Administrator requests to determine whether the product is eligible to be imported into the U.S.

FSIS also requires an Import Inspection Application (FSIS Form 9540-1), which is completed by an applicant, usually an importer or customs broker. The information required on FSIS Form 9540-1, which is similar to that required on the foreign inspection certificate, may be submitted electronically or via paper application. If there is any discrepancy in importer or consignee information between the Import Inspection Application and the Foreign Inspection Certificate, FSIS would rely on the information provided on the Import Inspection Application. For any product-based information, the foreign inspection certificate information, which is certified by an official of the foreign government, would take precedence over information provided on the Import Inspection Application.

For importers and brokers participating in the Partner Government Agency (PGA) Message Set, the information on FSIS Form 9540-1 is submitted electronically. FSIS would rely on any importer or consignee information electronically transferred from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) to the Start Printed Page 44599FSIS Public Health Information System (PHIS) Import Component. Applicants that do not file this information electronically can submit paper applications (FSIS Form 9540-1) to FSIS inspection personnel at an official import inspection establishment. The applicant is required to submit the FSIS Form 9540-1 in advance of the shipment's arrival, but no later than when the entry is filed with CBP (9 CFR 327.5, 381.198, 557.5, 590.920).

Return of Exported Products to the United States

When product inspected and passed by FSIS is exported, but then returned to this country, the owner, broker, or agent of the product (the applicant) arranges for the product's entry and notifies FSIS. In accordance with 9 CFR 327.17, 381.209, 557.17, and 590.965, exported product returned to this country is exempt from FSIS import inspection requirements upon notification to and approval from the Agency's Recall Management and Technical Analysis Division (RMTAD). RMTAD may require, however, that returned product be re-inspected at a federally-inspected facility for food safety and food defense determinations.

As part of this process, an applicant completes the FSIS Form 9010-1, Application for the Return of Exported Products to the United States. The purpose of the form is to allow RMTAD to decide whether re-inspection of the returned product is needed and to notify the appropriate FSIS office where to perform the re-inspection of the product, if necessary. If FSIS inspection program personnel determine that the product is safe and not adulterated or misbranded, the product may be released into domestic commerce.

FSIS has made the following estimates based upon an information collection assessment:

Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average .202 hours per response.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS's functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of FSIS's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the method and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques, or other forms of information technology. Comments may be sent to both FSIS, at the addresses provided above, and the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Washington, DC 20253.

Responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of public record.

Additional Public Notification

Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal Register publication on-line through the FSIS web page located at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/​federal-register.

FSIS will also announce and provide a link to this Federal Register publication through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal Register notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of information that could affect or would be of interest to our constituents and stakeholders. The Constituent Update is available on the FSIS web page. Through the web page, FSIS can provide information to a much broader, more diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an email subscription service which provides automatic and customized access to selected food safety news and information. This service is available at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/​subscribe. Options range from recalls to export information, regulations, directives, and notices. Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the option to password protect their accounts.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs, exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to discrimination any person in the United States under any program or activity conducted by the USDA.